Apparatus for handling and packing powdery materials.



12.111131111110121. APPARATUS FOB. HANDLING AND PACKING POWDERY MATERIALS.

APPLICATION FILED APBJ, 1910.

1 116 11111 Jan 10,1911.

g9 MA fi/M -s cal, WASHINGTON. n c,

4 powder, whicn contain a considerable amount UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK J. HEYBAOH, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN AUTOMATIC MACHINERY COMPANY, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA, A CORPORATION OF GEORGIA.

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING AND PACKING POWDERY MATERIALS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 10, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK J. HEY- men, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore city, State of Maryland, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Handling and Packing Powdery Materials, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to improvements in machines for filling cans, cartons or other receptacles with weighed or predetermined charges of material and particularly with materials of a powdery or pul vcrulent nature, and it has for its object primarily to provide an improved mechanism for machines of such class which is capable of uniformly fieding the materials by a stirrer to a weighing or chargeaneasuring receptacle from a valve controlled prefer-- ably by a weigh, beam, of dumping the weighed charges into a packer which presses the material into a receptacle, and also insuring by the use of an agitator, the reception by such packer of a full charge of the material in order t hat theremay be no waste of material and that none of the receptacles will receive an under load.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved and efl cient packer for introducing powdery or highly pulvcrnlent materials into receptacles in such a manner that the packer may first permit a full charge of the material to dump into the receptacle, whereupon the compression element of the packer will move into POSitIlGII to press upon the top of the heaping material and force it firmly and positively into the receptacle in such a way that the caps or closures for such receptacles may be readily applied, a subsidiary object of the invention being to provide the compressing element of the packer with a screen or perforated surface in those cases where freeflying materials such, for instance as baking of entrained air, are being handled, the pressure exerted upon the material in the receptacle by the compression element of the packer forcing the air from the mass, and the air so expelled is permitted to escape through the screen or perforated surface of the compression element of the packer without carrying the powdery material with it, the formation of dust being thereby avoided.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in certain improvements, and com binations and arrangements of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out particularly in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the accompanying drawing z-F igure 1 represents a central vertical section of a mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention for feeding powdery or pulverulent materials to receptacles; Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view of the packer on an enlarged scale, the full lines indicating the position of the compression element of the packer at the time the material is packed into the receptacle, and the dotted lines indicating the manner in which the compression element of the packer is operated upon during its retracting movement so as to free it from any material that might have a tendency to adhere to its upper side; Fig. 3 represents a section through the packer taken at right angles to the plane of the section shown in Fig. 2, the compression element being in retracted position; and Fig. 4 representsa top plan view of the packer.

Similar parts are designated by the same reference characters in the several views.

The several features of my present invention are capable of use generally in connection with machines for handling powdery or pulverulent materials. In the accompanying drawing, I have shown these features of the invention adapted to use in connection with a filling machine of the type disclosed in my prior patent, No. 88:3,et73 granted April 21, 1908. It will be understood, however, that these features are not necessarily limited to a filling machine of the specific structure disclosed in such Letters Patent, and it is also to be understood that'certain modifications and changes may be made in the detail construction and relative arrangement of the parts in order that the invention may be applied to the best advantage according to the circumstances of each particular case.

In the present instance, the apparatus embodies a supply hopper 1 the body of which is preferably of a cylindrical form and is provided with a branch 2 which is adapted to connect with a pipe or duct through which the material may be supplied to the apparatus from any suitable source. This supply hopper may be rigidly supported upon a suitable part of the ma -hinc frame by means of the lugs 3, and the lower end of the hopper is provided with a bottom -l having suitable apertures 5 through which the material is fed from the hopper to the hopper for weighing or dividing the material into predetermined charges according to the capacity of the rece tacles to be tilled. In order to insure a positive and uniform feeding of the material through and from the supply hopper and to prevent bridging or packing of the powdery material therein, I mount a, vertical shaft (3 axially within the cylindrical or tubular portion of the sup ply hopper, one end of the shaft having a bearing at T in the bottom plate -l while the upper portion of this shaft is journaled in abearing 8 which bearing also performs the function of closing the top of the supply hopper. This shaft (3 forms part of a revolving stirrer, it carrying a series of transverse blades 9 which are connected at their ends by scrapers i he transverse blades 9 are rigidly attached to the shaft and have an axial pitch in a direction that will cause them to act upon the material and force it downwardly or toward the discharge openings in the bottom of the supply hopper. The scrapers 10 in the present instance are arranged in staggered or alternating relation and they rest in immediate proximity to the cylindrical walls of the supply hopper so as to keep such walls clean and there by prevent the material from adhering thereto, the combined scraping and axial movement imparted to the material during the rotation of the stirrer serving to insure a positive and uniform feed of the material. The transverse blades 9 and the scrapers 1.0 may be conveniently formed of a single strip of material as shown in the present instance, it being bent. readily into the desired form. The stirrer preferably revolves continuously and any suitable means may be provided for driving it, the upper end of the stirrer shaft being provided in the present instance with a bevel gear 11 which cooperates with a similar gear 12 upon a transverse or horizontal shaft 13.

In filling receptacles with powdery or pulverulent material, it is preferable to divide the material into weighed charges, one charge being supplied to each receptacle. To this end, a weigh hopper 1st is mounted beneath the supply hopper and this weigh hopper is supported upon the end 15 of a weigh beam, and the weighing mechanism of which this beam is a part preferably controls the closing of a valve through which the material tlows to the weigh hopper. In the present instance, a pair of valve members 16 and 17 are mounted to slide in cooperative relation with the under side of the apertured hopper bottom l, and these alves may be operated and controlled as in my prior patent aforesaid. As the mechanism for operating the valves forms no part of the subject matter claimed in the present application, it is considered unnecessary to describe the same in detail. The bottom of the wcigli hopper 1a is provided with a discharge gate 18 which in the present instance is pivoted upon an axis 11) supported in a suitable way upon the weigh hopper, and this shaft may be operated through the arm 20, the linl; 2t and the rocking lever 22, the latter having an arm 23 which actuated by a bell-crank lever 2t. Mechanism for operating the discharge gate forms no part of the present invention, and it may be such as that disclosed for instance in my prior patent above referred to.

The packer for pressing each charge of material into the receptacle consists of a casing 25 having a flared mouth 26 at its lower end to fit down upon and properly position a receptacle so as to receive a charge of material therefrom. The upper portion of the packer casing is preferably llared so as to form a hopper 27. The charges are lumped into the packer periodically from the weighing hopper, and in order that the packer may properly receive a full charge of the material and afford it ample opportunity to settle into the receptacle, i prefer to employ a supplen'iental hopper 28 which in the present instance is in the form of a funnel the lower end of which fits snugly upon the top of the hopper portion 27 of the packer, and this supplemental hopper forms in ell'ect a continuation or prolongatii'm of the hopper portion 27' of the packer. This supplemental hopper 28 receives the charges of material that are discharged from the weigh hopper, and owing to the contraction or tapered relation of its walls, I prefer to equip this supplemental hopper with an agitator the function of which is to prevent packing or bridging of the n'iaterial while on its way through this supplemental hopper. The agitator shown in the present instance consists of a ring 29 which is ri'ltatably titted within the upper portion of the supplemental hopper 28 and rests upon an annular seat 30. An arm 31 projects radially from the ring "29 through a slot in the wall of the supplemental hopper QS, and a suitable mechanism provided for rapidly reciprocating the arm and thereby imparting a to-and-fro movement to the agitator ring 29. In the present instance, a reciprocatory actuating bar is shown which is connected by a pitman 33 to a crank-wheel 34, the latter being revolved continuousl by a belt or other suitable device which is driven from a pulley 36 fixed to the horizontal shaft 13. The oscillatory agitator ring 29 is provided with a suitable number of depending fingers 37 which are rigidly connected thereto and are adapted to scrape the nmer surface of the tapered or converging walls of the supplemental hopper 28. It is preferable to extend certain of these fingers for a distance suflicient to partially enter the hopper portion 27 of the packer in order to avoid any possibility of the material bridging therein. Owing to the quick reciprocatory movement imparted to the agitator ring and its fingers, the converging walls of the supplemental hopper 28 are kept clean of the material and, moreover, the material is agitated to such a degree as will prevent its bridging or packing while flowing to the packer.

The interior of the packer casing is provided with an arcshaped passage to accommodate the packing element which swings through a corresponding arcshaped path. The packing or compressing element consists in the present instance of a relatively flat member 39 which is adapted to press upon the heaped material and thereby force it into the can or receptacle. In order that this compressing element may auto matically free itself of any material that may reach the upper surface thereof, it is preferable to pivot the member at or adjacent to one edge to its actuating means. The actuating means in the present instance con sists of an arm in approximately the form of an elbow, the portion 10 of the arm projecting substantially radially of its actuating shaft ll while the free end 42 of the arm is concentric to the shaft or axis L1 or substantially so. The elbow formation of the arm enables it to carry the compressing member into a position to completely pack the material into the receptacle and. at the same time the arm will avoid or clear the segmental wall a3 of the packer casing. The actuating arm for the packer is pivoted to the compressing member at 4A a point immediately adjacent to the farther edge of the member, and the actuating arm also has a rest in the form of a lug 45 which is ar ranged to press upon the compressing member at or adjacent to its opposite edge whereby the compressing member when it reaches the end of its compressing stroke will occupy a horizontal position and such member will distribute its pressure uniformly upon the material at the top of the receptacle. In handling some materials,

the conmressing member 39 may be imperforate, that is to say, it may be in the forr of a solid plate. In handling free-flying materials, however, such for instance as yeast powder, it is preferable to provide means whereby air entrained with the material and which is expelled from the mate rial as the same is packed into the receptacle may escape through the compressing element E but without carrying with it any of the material. In the present instance, the compressing member is in the form of a frame I the upper side of which is covered with a screen 16 of a suitable mesh which provides for the escape of the air and prevents the escape of any of the powder in the form of dust. Owing to the fact that the compressing member is pivoted at or adjacent to its far edge to its actuating arm, such member will swing into an upright or vertical position during its retracting stroke, thereby permitting any material that may reach its upper surface to fall into the filled can, aste of material beim thereby avoided and, moreover, each receptacle will receive a full charge. In order to cause the compressing member to positively assume an upright position and to also jar the compressing member so as to forcibly dislodge any material that may have a tendency to adhere to the screen or mesh, I prefer to provide a latch in one wall of the packer casing to act upon the compressing member during its retracting movement. This latch in the present instance is in the form of a stud 47 which projects through an aperture in the packer wall and has a beveled surface d8 upon its inner end which surface will permit the compressing member to pass the stud freely while moving into compressing position, but upon the return movement of the compressing men'iber, the same will be engaged by the stud and the latter will. so obstruct the compressing member as to cause it to partially invert itself, whereupon a continued retracting movement of the compressing member will cause it to slip over the stud. In order to permit the latching action of the stud as above described, the same is pressed yieldably into the path of the compression member by a spring 49. The packer casing is provided with an opening 50 through which the actuating arm for the compressing member ope'ates. This opening, however, conforms substantially in din'iensions to those of the compressing member and when the latter is fully retracted, the compressing member will form a closure for such o1 )ening,'thereby preventing escape of the material while the same is passing through the packer and into the rece niacle. The actuating shaft 4-1 for the packer may be operated in any suitable way, it being provided with an operating arm 51 which is attached to a link 52, the latter being operated by suitable means and at appropriate intervals after each charge of material is dumped into the receptacle.

I claim as my invention 1. I11 an apparatus for handling powdery material, the combination of a supply hop per, means for receiving material therefrom t and dividing it into predetermined charges,

a device for introducing such charges into receptacles, and an agitator interposed between said charge-dividing means and said device to prevent bridging of the material while passing into the latter.

2. in an apparatus for handling powdery material, the combination 01. a supply hopper, a weighing or measuring hopper, a device for introducing charges of the material received from said weighing or measuring hopper into receptacles, said device having a converging receiving portion, and a reciprocatory agitator cooperative with the converging receiving portion of said device and adapted to act upon the material to prevent bridging thereof.

3. In an apparatus for handling powdery material, the combination of a supply hopper, charge-forming means, a packer for pressing the charges of material into receptacles, and a reciprocatory agitator interposed between said chargetorming means and packer.

4-. in an apparatus for handling powdery material, the combination of a supply hopper, charge-forming means, a packer provided with a flared receiving hopper, and an agitator inter )osed between the chargetorming means and packer and embodying arms depending within the flared receiving hopper of the packer and cooperative with the converging walls thereof.

5. In an apparatus for handling powdery material, the combination of a supply hop per. charge-forming means, means for introdueing charges of material into receptacles, and a stirrer for insuring uniform flow of material from the supply hopper to the charge-forming means comprising a revoluble shaft carrying a set of blades having an axial pitch and also carrying scrapers to cooperate with the walls of the supply hopper.

6. A packer embodying a casing adapted to engage the mouth of a receptacle and forming a vertical passage for the material, and a movable compressing element movable laterally of said passage to occupy a position out of the path of the material while the lattn' is passing to the receptacle and movable laterally into said passage and operative to force the material into the receptacle.

7. A. device for packing powdery materials into receptacles comprising a casing having a portion to it the mouth of a receptacle and having a direct vertical passage for the material, and a compressing element movable laterally in a path that will carry it into a position to press the material into the receptacle when moved in one direction and adapted when moved in a reverse direc tion to occupy a position out of the path of material flowing to the receptacle.

8. A device for packing powdery materials into receptacles comprising a casing forming a passageway tor the material and having a portion to fit upon the mouth of a receptacle, and a compressmg element movable in an arc-shaped path within the packer casing and operative to force any material remaining in such easing into the receptacle.

9. A packer comprising a casing acapted to rest upon the mouth of a receptacle and forming a passage for the material flowing thereto, a compressing element, and means for swinging the same in an arc-shaped path to first engage the material and press itinto the receptacle and to subsequently retract said element into a position clear of the passage for the material.

10. A packer comprising a casing having a passage for the material and also having an intersecting arc-shaped channel, and a compressing element having means for reciprocating it in said arc-shaped channel.

11. A packer comprising a casing having a vertical passageway for the material and also having an intersecting arcshapcd passage the upper portion of which extends laterally and forms an opening at one side of the casing, and a compressing element fitting said arc-shaped passage and having means for reciprocating it therein, the compressing elementforming a closure for the opening in said passage when said element is re tracted.

12. A packer comprising a casing provided with a substantially vertical passageway for the material, a compressing element contained within the casing, and means for imparting a swinging movement to said compressing element in an arc-shaped path which intersects the passageway tor the material.

13. A packer comprising a casing having an upright passage for the material, a compressing element contained within the easing, and an actuating arm pivotally connected to the compressing element at one of its edges and adapted to swing the compressing element in an arc-shaped path which intersects the passageway tor the material, said arm having means for holding the compress: ing element at substantially a right angle to its direction of movement during the compression stroke and permitting said element to partially invert itself during the retracting stroke.

14. A packer comprising a casing having a passage for the material, a compressing element contained within the casing, a pivoted actuating arm having a hinge connection with the compressing element at or adjacent to one edge thereof and having means for holding said element at substantially a right angle to its direction of movement while on its compression stroke, and a device for causing the compressing element to partially invert itself during its retracting stroke.

15. A packer comprising a casing having a passageway for the material, a compres ing element contained within said casing, an actuating arm pivotally mounted on the casing and having a hinge connection with one edge of the compressing element and also having a bearing toward the opposite edge of said element, and a latch located in the path of movement oi the compressing element and operative thereon to partially invert it during its retracting movement.

16. A packer comprising a casing having a passageway tor the material, a compress ing element contained within the casing, and having a screen or perforated surface, and an actuating arm for reciprocating said element in an arc-shaped path which intersects the passageway for the material.

17. A packer comprising a casing having a bottom adapted to fit the mouth of a re ceptacle and provided with a passageway for the material, a compressing element contained. within the casing, and an actuating arm pivoted with respect to the casing and operative to reciprocate the compressing element in an arc-shaped path, which merges at its lower portion into the passageway for the material.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing wit nesses.

FEE-DE .HCK J. HEYBAGH.

Witnesses Cntnnxcn A. BATEMAN, (Inns. S. Hymn. 

